'Accord' signed in live music debate

By Dewi Cooke

23 February 2010 — 3:00am

THE state government has intervened in the debate over live music, agreeing to call on liquor licensing authorities to relax security restrictions that were blamed for the closure of much-loved venue the Tote.

In advance of a protest by Melbourne's music community today, campaigners yesterday signed an ''accord'' with Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson.

Under the agreement, the government will recommend to the Director of Liquor Licensing:

■ No new or additional security restrictions be imposed on venues playing live music or licensed to trade after 1am.

■ ''High risk'' security conditions regarding crowd controllers be applied only where there is a demonstrated need.

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■ The Director of Liquor Licensing remove the restrictions for those venues subjected to them over the past 12 months, providing neither the venue nor Victoria Police object.

However, the Director of Liquor Licensing is a position independent of government and all decisions will continue to be made at the discretion of the director, Sue Maclellan.

Accord signatory, venue owner and Fair Go 4 Live Music spokesman Jon Perring said the accord put in place a ''holding pattern'' that would enable small venues that had genuinely been affected by the laws to apply to have the restrictions rolled back.

But the issue was far from solved, he said.

''It's just a temporary position while we try to solve the bigger question of delinking live music to high-risk security situations.

''[But] even three weeks ago when we were absolutely poles apart, the ideas are starting to merge and it's a much more positive space to be in.''

Mr Perring suggested that the Tote in Collingwood, which closed last month, might have been one of the venues that could have benefited from the easing of restrictions.

Quincy McLean, of Save Live Australia's Music, organisers of today's rally, said it was a ''strong step in the right direction'' but until it was enacted it was still ''only an accord''.

Thousands of protesters are expected to rally in the city today, with singer-songwriter Paul Kelly, Hunters and Collectors' frontman Mark Seymour and performers Angie Hart and Kram among those expected to show their support.

Protesters will march from the State Library lawn up Bourke Street to the steps of Parliament House, led by bagpipers and the RocKwiz orchestra. The demonstration will climax with a special rendition of AC/DC's It's a Long Way to the Top.

''It's a celebration of our music, but it's a protest until live music is no longer the trigger of 'high risk','' organiser Helen Marcou said. ''It's about Melbourne musicians and their messages.''

At a recent meeting with about 20 small venue owners, Ms Marcou said they were told that the majority had already given up hosting live music during the week as a result of the licensing changes.